On March 9, 2007, ex-FBI agent Robert (Bob) Levinson traveled to Iran while working as a private investigator and never returned. He was not heard from again until November of last year when his captors sent a fifty-four second video to his family. In the video, Levinson pleads with the American government his kidnappers’ demands.
The case started off as diplomatic issue between Iran and the U.S. However, the Levinson family’s outreach to the captors on Friday shows that the incident is now being treated as a hostage situation. This was a result of the deteriorating relations between the two nations.
Levinson’s return is critical as he has a history of diabetes and high blood pressure. It was even reported that in the video he says, ‘I am not in very good health. I am running very quickly out of diabetes medicine.’ His wife Christine begs for the U.S. government’s cooperation for the safe return of her husband.
Investigators traced the video received a year ago to an Internet address in Pakistan, but photos were also sent to the family, and those were traced to Afghanistan. It is believed that Levinson is no longer located in Iran but are unsure of where exactly he has been moved. The hope that was brought by these clues a year ago has faded as talks between Iran and the U.S. have gone downhill since then.
The Levinson family continues their efforts of finding Robert alive through a website where Christine communicates her wishes for the reunion of their family, saying, “I will never abandon you,” in a message to her husband.
